Door opening and closing device.



A. MERGE. DOOR OPENING AND cLosm-s DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. I9!8- Patented Apr. 22,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

A. PIERCE. DOOR OPENING AND CLOSlNG DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 19H}. 1,361 ,736, Patented. Apr. 22, 1&19.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 'nRle/s PETER: cn rmo'm-Llrua. wasumurmv. p c.

ANTON PIERCE, 0F

CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DOOR OPENING AN D CLOSING DEVICE.

Application filed February 21, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON PIERCE, a citizen ofthe United States of America, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door Opening and Closing Devices; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic door opening and closing devices and particularly to a device of this character for opening and closing the doors of street cars and similar conveyances.

One object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which can be easily installed on a street car and which will automatically open the doors of the car as soon as the car comes to a standstill and which will automatically close the doors of the car as soon as the car begins to move.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the doors can be inanually operated so that the conductor can close the doors when the car is stationary and can open the doors and keep them open when the car is running or in motion.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide mechanism of this character which will be positive in operation, which will be durable and which can be readily applied to the ordinary types of street cars.

With these objects in view and with the intention. of securing other advantages which will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the features of construction anld combination of parts, hereinafter described in the specification, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying draw mgs.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 33, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on line 44, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view corresponding to a section on line 66, Fig. 1.

Again referring to the drawings, A represents the axle of a street car, and B represents the wheels. 10, represents a plate or frame which is supported from the bottom of the car in any suitable manner and extends.

over the axle A. On the axle A is secured a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1219.

Serial no. 218,414.

beveled gear 12 and the plate 10 is cut away, as at 11, to allow a portion of said gear 12 to project through said plate. On the frame 10 is mounted a stud shaft 13, and on this stud shaft is rotatably mounted a beveled gear 15 which is arranged to mesh with the beveled gear 12. Above the beveled gear 15 on the shaft 13 is a large gear 16 which is arranged to turn with the beveled gear 15. On the frame 10 is mounted another stud shaft 18, and on this stud shaft is rotatably mounted a wheel or disk 19 which is provided with fixed gear teeth 20 around a portion of its perimeter which are arranged to mesh with the teeth of the wheel 16. The perimeter of the wheel 19 adjacent to one end of the serrated portion is cut away forming a recess 22. To the side of the wheel is pivotally secured a bar 23 which carries a serrated plate 24 which fits into the recess 22, and the teeth on said plate 24 form a con tinuation of the teeth 20 and are adapted to mesh with the teeth of the wheel 16. The free end of the bar 23 carries a plunger 25 which enters a casing 26 on the wheel 19. In said casing 26 is a coil spring 27, the object of which is to provide a yielding resistance to the downward movement of the plunger and thereby normally support the free end of the bar 23 so that the teeth on the serrated plate 24 will engage the teeth on the wheel 16. On the bar 23 is mounted a pin 30. From the floor of the car is hun a bar 31, and on the bar 31 is pivoted a swinging arm 32 which is adapted to come in contact with the pin 30 on the toothed plate carrying bar 23. A strap 34 is secured on the bar 31 and extends over the end of the arm 32. On the bar 31 is journaled one end of a vertically arranged rod or shaft 36 which is designed to extend up through the floor of the car, and on the upper end of said rod 36 is secured a crank handle 37. On the rod 36 adjacent to the bar 31 is secured a cam 38 adapted to engage the arm 32. The free end of the arm 32 is connected to the bar 31 by a spring 39. Now, by turning the crank-handle 37 the rod 36 is turned which brings the cam 38 into contact with the swinging arm 32 shoving said arm back and bringing it into contact with the pin 30 on the bar 23. The bar 23 is therefore shoved back and the teeth on the plate 24 are drawn out of mesh with the teeth on the wheel 16. The object of this arrangement will appear later in the specification. On the wheel 19 is secured a crank )in 40. On the plate 10 is arranged a cylinder 4-1 which is pivotally secured at one end to the frame by -a pindfZ. Within the cylinder is arranged a piston 44 having a rod 45 connected thereto, and around the rod with in the cylinder is arranged a coiled spring 16, and the arrangement is such that when the piston is pulled out the spring will be put under compression. A connecting rod 17 extends from the crank pin 10 on the wheel 19 to the piston rod &5 and therefore when the wheel 19 is turned through one-half of a revolution the spring in the cylinder is put under compression, and during the other half revolution of the wheel the spring is relieved from compression. A. bell crank lever 50 is mounted on the frame 10, and one end of the lever is pivotally connected to the connecting rod 47. The other end of thebell crank lever 50 is-pivotally connected to a link 51 and this link is connected with a cross bar 52 which carries two operating rods 53 which extend to the mechanism for operating the doors. This mechanism is arranged as follows Above and below each pair of doors is arranged a supporting frame 55, and in each frame is formed an L-shaped groove or track 56. I The doors are shown at 57, two sets of said doors being shown and from the bottom of each door a pair of studs 58 extends down into each track, and in order to reduce the friction each stud is provided with a roller 59 and similar pins are arranged on the top of the doors. To the studs on the bot-tom of each door is secured a. V-shaped member 48, and each V-shaped member has an arm 49 pivotally secured thereto. Each pair of arms 19 are pivotally secured together and to the end of one of the aforementioned operating rods 53. N ow, when the operating rods 53 are pulled in the arms 19 are drawn back which causes the V-shaped members 4:8 to swing around closing the doors, and when the operating rods are shoved out the arms 49 are pushed forward which causes the V-shaped members 48 to swing back opening the doors.

hen the mechanism is in the position shown in the drawings, and which is the position of the mechanism when the car is standing still and the doors open, then if the car starts to move the axle A will be rotated thereby rotating the beveled gear 12 thereon which in turn rotates the beveled gear 15 which carries around with it the large gear wheel 16. Now, the large gear wheel 16 is in mesh with the teeth of the serrated plate 2% on the wheel 19 so the wheel 19 will be rotated and, as it is rotated, will draw up on the connecting rod 47 placing the spring in the cylinder under compression and causing the bell crank lever to swing around and through the arrangement before described close the doors of the car. Now, the wheel 16 will drive the wheel 19 until all the teeth on the wheel 19 have been in mesh with the teeth on the wheel 16 and by that time the wheel 19 will have turned through more than half of a revolution. When the teeth on the wheel 19 are no longer in mesh with the teeth on the wheel 16 the wheel 19 can run free and the tension of the spring46 acting through the connecting rod 47 would cause the wheel 19 to complete its revolution and therefore immediately open the doors again. I therefore provide an arrangement which prevents the wheel 19 from being rotated by the tension of the spring 46 while the car is in motion, but which will automatically release the wheel when the car stops. On the under side of the wheel 19 near the crank pin is arranged a pin 60. Adjacent to the wheel 19 is mounted a housing 61 in which is arranged a latch 62 which is adapted to engage with the pin on the wheel 19. A spring 63 is arranged so that the tension thereof will normally hold the latch so that the inner end thereof is out of the path of the pin 60. On the out-er end of said latch is arranged a small lug or catch 65. A plate 66 is arranged under the outer end of the.

latch and has a socket 67 adapted to receive the lug on the end of said latch'when the latch is in its inner position and the spring 63 under compression. Adjacent to the latch is pivoted a bell crank lever 69, one end of which is pivotally secured to the latch and the other end carries a cam faced projection '70 which extends into the path of the pin 60. In mesh with the gear wheel 16 is a small gear wheel 72. To the hub of this gear wheel 72 is secured an inclined tube or casing 73 which is closed at its ends and has a longitudinal slot 7 1 near its lower end. A small standard 75 extends up from the hub of the gear 72. At the upper end of the standard 7 5 is pivotally supported a bell crank lever 76, and one arm of the bell crank lever extends down through the slot 71 in the casing 73. lVithin the casing is arranged a ball 77. 78 represents a lever which is oivotally supported in any convenient manner, as from the bottom of the car, and at oneend of this lever is a flat plate 79 which rests on the upper end of the bell crank lever 76. The other end of the lever 78 is connected by a link 80 with a pivoted bar 81, and the end of the bar 81 is adapted to engage with the end of the latch 62.

The operation of this portion of the device is, as follows: It has been explained before how the rotation of the axle drives the wheel 16 which in turn drives the wheel 19 through somewhat more than a half revolution. Now, when the wheel 19 has about completed its first half revolution the pin 60 on the wheel 19 will strike the cam on the bell crank lever 69 causing the lever 69 to shove the latch 62 forward so that the end of the latch extends into the path of the pin 60. The lug 65 on the end of the latch 62 will fall into the socket 67 and lock the latch in its inner position. The pin on the wheel 19 will strike the end of the latch 62 and the movement of the wheel 19 will be stopped. The wheel 16 will be continuing to rotate and it will drive the Wheel 72. The tube 73 will revolve with the wheel 72 and the ball 77 will move out to the end of the tube and be held there by centrifugal force. Now, when the car stops the wheel 16 will cease to drive the wheel 72 and therefore the ball 77 will run down the tube 73 and strike the lower end if the lever 76 which will cause the upper end of the lever to swing up. The adjacent end of the lever 78 will be tilted up and the opposite end thereof will move down which will shove down the link 80 which in turn will shove down the outer end of the lever 81. The inner end of the lever 81 will swing up and will lift the outer end of the latch 62 freeing the lug from the socket and the latch will move back under the action of the spring 63. The pin 60 on the wheel 19 will then be freed and the wheel 19 will move through the remainder of its revolution under the action of the spring 46. The connecting rod 47 will move back and will cause the lever 50 to swing around, which through the mechanism before described will open the doors.

Now, if it is desired that the door opening and closing mechanism shall not operate automatically it is only necessary for the conductor to turn the rod 36 by means of the handle 37. The cam 38 will be swung around and engage the pin 30 and the serrated plate 24: will be swung back. When the teeth on the plate 2 1 are disengaged from the teeth of the wheel 16 the wheel 16 will run free and the Other mechanism will remain stationary.

In order that the doors may be closed when the automatic mechanism is out of operation, the following mechanism is provided:-A vertical shaft 93 extends down through a support 9a in the car and the lower end of the shaft extends through a horizontally arranged plate 95, the opening in which is larger than the diameter of the shaft. On the lower end of this shaft is arranged a gear wheel 96vand by shoving over on the end of the shaft this gear wheel can be caused to engage with the teeth on the wheel 19. On the plate 95 is mounted a spring controlled plunger 97 which presses against the end of the shaft 93 so as to hold the gear out of mesh with the teeth on the wheel 19. On the upper end of the vertical shaft 93 is arranged a crank handle 99, and below this handle is a plate 100 which is provided with a series of notches. On the handle is a latch 102 which is adapted to engage with the notches on the said plate so as to lock the handle against movement. A. small vertical shaft 105 is arranged adjacent to the shaft 93, and on the lower end of this shaft is a cam 106. On the upper end of the shaft is a handle 107. Now, by turning this handle 107 the cam can be caused to engage with the shaft 93 and cause the gear 96 carried thereby to engage with the gear 19. Then by rotating the handle 99 in the shaft 93 the wheel 19 can be caused to rotate and through the connecting mechanism close the doors.

I do not limit myself to the exact mechanism shown as the same can be modified without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What 1 claim is 1. The combination with a car body of a frame, a beveled gear secured on the axle of the car, a beveled gear mounted on the frame and meshing with the beveled gear on the axle, a driving gear arranged to turn with the beveled gear on the frame, a driven gear having teeth on only a portion of its perimeter and arranged to mesh with the driving gear, resilient means for causing the driven gear to complete a full revolution. after said driven gear has been partially revolved by the driving gear, automatically operating means for holdingthe driven gear against movement, automatically operating means for releasing the holding means and means forming an operative connection be tween said driven gear and the doors of the car for opening and closing said doors.

2. The combination with a car body of a frame, a driving gear mounted 011 said axle of the car so as to be driven thereby, a driven gear meshing with the driving gear, said driven gear having teeth on only a portion of its perimeter, a crank pin carried by the driven gear, a cylinder pivoted on the frame, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod, a spring arranged on the piston rod within the cylinder, a connecting rod connecting the piston rod with the crank pin on the driven gear and means forming an operative connection between the connecting rod and the doors of the car so that a movement of the rod in one direction will close the doors and a movement of the rod in the opposite direction will open the 'doors.

3. The combination with a car body of a frame, a driving gear mounted on said frame and operatively connected with the axle of the car so as to be driven thereby, a driven gear having teeth on only a portion 'of its perimeter and arranged to mesh with operating means for holding the driven gear against movement comprising a pin mounted on the driven gear, a latch movable in and out of the path of said pin, a spring for normally holding the latch out of the path of said pin, means actuated by the pin on said driven gear for moving the latch into the path of said pin and means for locking said latch against movement under the tension of said spring, automatically operating means for releasing said latch and means forming an operative connection between said driven gear and the doors of the car for opening and closing said doors.

4:. The combination with a car body of a frame, a driving gear mounted on said frame and operatively connected with the axle of the car so as to be driven thereby, a driven gear having teeth 011 only a portion of its perimeter and arranged to mesh with the driving gear, resilient means for causing the driven gear to complete a full revolution after said driven gear has been partially revolved by the driving gear, automatically operating means for holding the drii en gear against movement after the car has started and for releasing the holding means when the car stops vcomprising a pin mounted on the driven gear, a latch movable in and out of the path of said pin, a spring for normally holding the latch out of the path of said pin, means arranged to be actuated by said pin for causing said latch to move into the path of said pin, means for locking said latch against movement, an unlocking lever arranged to engage with the locking means and permit said latch to move out of the path of the pin on the driven wheel, a gear wheel meshing with the driving gear, an inclined tube carried by eone-es said gear wheel, a ball arranged in said incilined tube, a bell crank lever operatively supported and having one :end extending into said tube :so as -to be engaged by said ball :and means for transmitting motion fromsaid bell crank lever to said unlocking lever, and means forming an operative connection between said driven gear and the doors of the car for opening and closing said doors.

.5. The combination with a car body of a frame, a driving gear mounted on said frame and operatively connected Wit-h the axle of the car so as to be driven thereby, a driven gear meshing "with the driving gear, said driven gear having teeth on only a portion of its perimeter, a portion of said teeth being shiftable radially so as to throw them out of mesh with the teeth of the driving gear, a spring motor for causing the driven gear to complete a full revolution after said driven gear has been partially revolved by the driving gear, automatically operating means for holding the driven gear against rotation by said spring motor, automatically operating means for releasing the holding means, manually operated means for rotating the driven gear when the shiftable teeth thereon have been moved out of mesh with the driving ,gearand means forming an operative connection between said driven gear and the doors of the car for opening and closing said doors.

In testimony whereof, I sign the foregoing specification, in the presence of two witnesses.

ANTON PIERCE. Witnesses VICTOR C. LYNCH, 13.0. Brown.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or retents, Washington, 1). 0; 

